Adjustable fur stretcher



July 1, 1941.

W. R. WELTY ADJUSTABLE FUR STRETCHER Filed May 13, 1959 ATTORNEY.

Patented July 1, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE FUR STRETCHER William R. Welty, Freedom, Okla.

Application May 13, 1939, Serial No. 273,405

2 Claims.

This invention relates to fur stretchers, and the prime object is to provide a simple, practical and durable form of stretcher having spaced and adjustable members upon which the fur may be mounted and handily stretched both endwise and laterally.

Another object is to provide a stretcher frame including laterally spaced side members or bars curved together and pivotally pinned at one end over an inwardly extended angle bracket, the opposite free ends being slidably engaged between cross members or bars, a pair of toggle arms pivotally pinned at one end to a central hub and thus disposed medially across the frame with their outer ends pivotally connected to the side bars, an operating rod. axially and rotatably extended longitudinally through the frame, rotatably through the end cross members, and through the hub of the toggle arms and locked against longitudinal movement at these points, the outer end of this rod having screw threaded engagement with the angle bracket, and spurs or hooks upon the side bars and cross-bars for engaging the margins of the fur being stretched.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, a part of the specification, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are cross sections on lines 22, 3-3, and 4-4 respectively.

Figure 5 is a detail of the angle bracket.

In constructing the stretcher, I provide a pair of flat side bars 5 curved uniformly at one end as at 6 and pivotally pin these inturned ends together by means of a rivet I. An elongated angle bracket 8 is mounted between these ends, the rivet 1 passing through the extremity of the long and inwardly extended end 9, the angularly out-turned end l being tapped as at II to engage a threaded rod.

A pair of short, fiat toggle arms l2 are pivotally pinned by rivets l4 to the oppositely turned ears I of a toggle hub Hi, the arms l2 being disposed transversely of the frame at a medial point thereof, and having their outer ends pivotally connected to the fiat side bars 5 by bolts or rivets I! at each side. i

A pair of relatively long, fiat cross-bars, or arms I 8, are turned or curved at their central portions first outwardly as at [9 and thenreversely inwardly as at 20, and then superimposed upon interposed spacers 2| and secured together by rivets 22 passed through the bars l8 and spacers 2|. Thus there is formed a central hub 23, and the ends of the arms are extended in spaced relation as shown at 24. V

The cross arm assembly I8 thus formed is slidably and transversely mounted upon the free spaced endsof the side bars 5 by passing the side bars through the spaces 24.

An operating rod 26, having a crank 21 at its outer end, is rotatably journaled through the hubs 23 and IS, the inner end of the rod being threaded as shown at 28 and thus screwed into the tapped end In of the bracket 8. Washers 29 are rigidly keyed or otherwise secured to the rod 26, at either side of the hubs l6 and 23 for looking the operating rod against longitudinal movement. A plurality of hooks or spurs 30 are mounted in spaced relation along the outer faces of the cross arm assembly l8, whereon the margins of furs (not shown) to be stretched may be releasably fastened.

Additionally a number of elongated hooks 3| may be secured at 32 to the cross arm assembly and extended inward.

In operation a fur may be mounted upon one or both sides of the frame. For this purpose 'the curved end of the frame is inserted in the head of the pelt, the rear margins thereof being then pulled down'and secured to the hooks 30 or 3|, the operating rod being first rotated to contract the frame members inwardly. By then rotating the rod reversely the frame members are expanded, thereby stretching the furs both endwise and laterally.

While I have here shown and described a specific form of stretcher, it is understood that the structural features thereof may be changed or varied within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a pelt stretcher comprising a pair of pivotally connected laterally spaced side bars, the bars being curved inwardly and lapped over at the head end, a bracket secured to the pivot of said side bars having. a bent substantially right angled portion with a threaded opening therein, an elongated end threaded operating rod threadedly engaged within said threaded opening disposed between said side bars, a hub loosely carried by said operating rod, 3, pair of ears extending from said hub, a pair of toggle arms, one of each being pivot-ally secured to one of said hub ears at one end and each pivoted to the mediate portion of one of said bars at the other end, a pair of cross arms between the free unpivoted ends of said side bars spaced apart in substantially parallel-relation, said cross arms being curved outwardly and inwardly around the operating bar, and locking means carried by said operating bar on each side of said cross arms, whereby longitudinal movement of said operating rod is prevented.

2. The device as described in claim 1, in which the locking means comprises a pair of washers I keyed to the operating rod with one of said washers on each side of the cross arms. 

